In its first weekend of release The Dark Knight Rises broke box office records
in the US and Canada but takings were lower than predicted.

The Dark Knight Rises took an estimated $160 million (£103m) at US and Canadian box offices in its first weekend of release, making it the record amount taken for any non-3D film.

But takings were lower than figures predicted before the mass shooting at a midnight screening of the film in Colorado on Friday. Box office takings were expected to be around $173 million (£111m), based on box office receipts from Friday.

Twelve people were killed and 58 hurt in the attack, where a gunman opened fire in a cinema in Aurora.

Despite the circumstances, the takings still topped any other amount for a non-3D film in its first weekend.

The top two highest-ever openings were 3D films – The Avengers which took $207 million (£133m) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 which took $169 million (£109m).

"For this film (Dark Knight) to still be in the rarefied air of the top-three openings of all time is phenomenal, given the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the release of this film," said Paul Dergarabedian, a box office analyst for Hollywood.com.

The Paris premiere for the film was cancelled after the shooting, and Warner Bros reduced its promotional plans.

The film cost Warner Bros $250m (£161m) to make.

Film studios withdrew their official revenue reports out of respect for the victims and their families this week, but details of the takings were given to media outlets.